It was just six short weeks ago that #99-Carl Edwards brought home his second career win in the series at Pocono Raceway. It was Edwards’ first trip to the 2.5-mile track. Not only did Edwards pick up Jack Roush’s first victory as a car owner at the track, his 29th starting position marked the furthest back anyone had started and won a race there. Edwards was also only the second driver to win at the tri-oval in his first career start at the track. The first was Richard Petty in 1974 when he won the inaugural Cup event there. Similar to the Pocono race earlier this year, Edwards will fly between two states in order to make both the Busch and Cup races. Edwards will spend Friday in Pocono practicing the #99 Office Depot Ford then he will depart for Colorado Springs, CO where he will start the #60 Charter Ford in the Busch race on Saturday at Pikes Peak International Raceway. For Saturday’s Cup qualifying session, six-time ARCA Champion Frank Kimmel will substitute for Edwards. Kimmel has 50 career victories to his name and has starts in the Cup, Busch and Truck Series. Kimmel will attempt to qualify the #99 Office Depot Ford per NASCAR’s rules but Edwards will return to start Sunday’s 500-mile race. Because of the driver switch, Edwards will have to start at the back of the field but Kimmel’s qualifying position is important as it determines where the team will pick their pit stall for Sunday’s race. Hank Parker, Jr. will practice and qualify the #60-Busch Series car for Edwards on Friday, who will have to be in Pocono, Penn. tending to his #99 Office Depot Cup car. Parker has been on hand to help the #60 Charter team already this season, when rain at Nashville postponed the Saturday race until Sunday, forcing Edwards to hop on a plane for the first NEXTEL Cup race in Pocono. Parker filled his seat, and brought the Charter Communications Ford home with a solid 20th-place finish while Edwards drove to his second-career NEXTEL Cup win in Pennsylvania.(Roush Racing)(7-20-2005)
UPDATE: Speed Channel’s NASCAR Live reports that ARCA driver Bobby Gerhart will qualifying the #99 Ford in Saturday’s qualifying at Pocono.(Speed Channel’s NASCAR Live) Defending and six-time ARCA RE/MAX Series champion Frank Kimmel was originally scheduled to relieve Edwards of his qualifying duties, but will be unable to do so since he did not fit into Edwards custom-fitted drivers seat.(ARCA Racing site)(7-22-2005)
